Congress complains against 'hate speeches' by Amit Shah, Suresh Rana

Congress asked the Election Commission and the Uttar Pradesh government to register criminal cases against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Amit Shah and MLA Suresh Rana accusing them of creating animosity between communities through their' hate speeches'.

"The BJP does not need a manifesto now; the language of Amit Shah has given us enough indication of the real manifesto. Amit Shah, who is out on bail by SC is trying to divide people on communal and caste lines in Uttar Pradesh," said Congress leader Randeep Surjewala.

"Division and destruction is being used in a poisonous fashion to muddy the entire political and social landscape by Suresh Rana and Shah is condemnable and goes against the ethos of our constitution. We request the state government and also the EC to take strong notice of the hate and revenge speeches and remarks and register appropriate criminal cases against them besides putting a complete ban against such speeches," he said.

A local court on Saturday sent arrested Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Suresh Rana to 14 days of judicial custody for allegedly delivering an inflammatory speech that led to communal riots in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.

On Friday, Amit Shah met leaders of three communities - Gurjjars, Rajputs and Dalits - at a farmhouse in Muzaffarnagar's Gandhi Colony and had apparently spoke of revenge. "A man can live without food or sleep. He can live when he's thirsty and hungry. But when he's insulted, he can't live. We must seek revenge for the insult heaped on us," he said. He did the same thing a day before on Thursday while he met leaders of the Jat community at Raajhar village, 40 km from Muzzaffarnagar and delivered a similar vengeful remark. "This election is about voting out the government that protects and gives compensation to those who killed Jats. It is about revenge and protecting honour," Shah said.